How to find a therapist in Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban or South Africa.

Mary Hartley

Clinical Psychologist
MA Clin. Psych. (Stell)
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Clinical psychologists treat people with relatively serious kinds of psychological distress, like depression or anxiety disorders. They hold Master’s Degrees in Clinical Psychology and are registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

I am an English-speaking clinical psychologist based in Oranjezicht, Cape Town. I provide short and long term psychotherapy for adults. My therapy style is warm, authentic and respectful, and sessions are confidential.

Clients: I see a broad group of adults ranging from those with debilitating clinical symptoms to those who are coping reasonably well but who might feel stuck or might be looking for a space to explore their inner worlds, their relationships and various aspects of their lives. Therapy can help to alleviate painful symptoms (such as anxiety or depression) as well as to develop more meaningful and fulfilling relationships, greater self-awareness, healthier coping strategies and a greater resiliency to stress.

Theoretical orientation: I integrate ideas from various schools of thought when helpful to do so with a particular client, but I work predominantly from a psychodynamic and relational foundation. From this perspective, healthy relationships with ourselves and others assume central importance in emotional health and often become important themes in therapy. The therapeutic relationship itself is an important part the process because it fosters trust, self-reflection, acceptance, curiosity and a means through which to elicit honest feedback about the way we relate to others. Therapy helps us to look beneath the surface so that we can understand how we came to be the way we are, and the conscious and unconscious choices (both past and current) which may be maintaining painful feeling states, repetitive relationship problems and/or clinical symptoms.